


Two Weeks

by arianapeterson19



Series: Avengers Shorts [84]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Adoption, Bruce Banner & Tony Stark Friendship, Bucky Is A Softy, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Epilepsy, Foster Care, Getting to Know Each Other, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Hurt Tony, Hurt/Comfort, Insecure Tony, It's just hard, M/M, Maria Stark's A+ Parenting, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Steve Rogers, Steve is working on it, Tony Feels, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-03-21 11:36:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13740051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arianapeterson19/pseuds/arianapeterson19
Summary: Tony has been living with them for two weeks now. Things are getting easier, but they still aren't perfect.ORThe one where Steve is trying, Bucky is a softy, and Tony just needs a hug.





	Two Weeks

**Author's Note:**

> I know I said I didn't have a plan to expand this universe but then I went to another 6 hour long meeting and this happened.
> 
> Also, this is a more realistic view on the foster care family dynamic - because it's hard and it's not always perfect the first day.

Tony was content to curl up in a miserable little ball, hugging a stuffed elephant that Clint had given him on his third day living with Bucky and Steve. They were at the end of the second week of his stay and the medication he was taking for his epilepsy seemed to only make him sick – he still had a seizure or two a week, though no one knew if that was normal, an increase, or a decrease of activity for the toddler. The medication made it difficult for Tony to eat and keep anything down, so Steve had taken Tony back to Bruce to see if anything could be done.

“Medications, especially long term ones, can take a while to adjust to,” said Bruce, rubbing Tony’s back where the toddler was curled on exam table, sniffing miserably. “Normally I wouldn’t suggest switching medicines so quickly, it’s only been two weeks.”

“But he’s barely eating,” said Steve, worried about the kid in his care. He cared about Tony, he really did, but the kid terrified him most days. “Bucky is the only one who can get him to even try and he throws up most days.”

“There is another medication we can try,” said Bruce slowly. “But you’ll need to be patient. I know it’s only been two weeks but you can’t just switch medications so quickly; Tony’s little body would react even worse to that. So, for the next week I want you to decrease the dosage and next week we will stop altogether, give his body a week or so to adjust back, and then start him on the new medicine.”

“But won’t that just make his seizures worse or more frequent or something? He might not even be staying that long.”

“You have the emergency shot in case he seizes for too long, but until we have more records of how he reacts, it’s best to take the slow route. It’s not ideal, but it’s what we have to work with since his parents did nothing.”

Steve sighed. Tony’s parents had been located but made it clear they had little interest in getting their son back. Well, his father had little interest. He was a businessman who spent more time abroad than at home and he little interest in raising his child while Tony’s mom spent more time out partying and having affairs than home with her boy. She wanted to be a mother, she wanted to have her son back, but so far she had not signed up for any of the programs she would need to take to get Tony home. Steve and Bucky had been working with Pepper and Bruce to understand and set up a safe home for Tony but it was all on a very temporary basis.

Two months. That’s how long they were keeping Tony for sure. After two months either Tony’s mother will take him back or Pepper would have to reevaluate their home and family to see if they would be a more long term solution. In that time she would be searching for a family who could take care of a child with medical conditions.

But for two months, Tony was theirs and in the last two weeks alone, their lives had drastically changed.

Wade, for one, loved being a big brother. After his argument with Bucky, Wade had become fiercely protective of Tony and had taken to being around the boy as much as possible. Clint had learned how to spot the start of a seizure with surprising accuracy. When they had been at the park, Clint had seen Tony stop digging in the sandbox from his place on the slide and shouted out, alerting Steve just a moment before Tony slipped sideways into the sand. Phil seemed to always regard Tony with a wary sort of caution, but the kid had also been living with Steve and Bucky long enough to have seen a couple foster kids come and go. Phil didn’t want to get too attached.

On the third night that Tony had lived with them, Steve and Bucky had gone through the entire house and baby-proofed it again. Foam padding went on sharp corners, a plastic protective cover went on every bed, just in case Tony had an accident when sleeping with someone else, and they had spent a large amount of time on Amazon looking for anything they might need for a kid who could collapse at any time. Their entire house had changed to make it safer for Tony.

“We’ll see you in two weeks, I guess,” said Steve. “Anything else I need to know?”

“Make sure you time the seizures,” said Bruce. “I know you said he’s pretty exhausted after, so keep an eye on that. I also want you to keep a food diary of everything Tony eats, how much, and when. And note anything Tony was doing before the seizure, how he was acting, anything that might have triggered it. I want to start narrowing down any possible triggers.”

Steve nodded, thanked the doctor, and picked Tony up while calling to his other children to clean up and join him.

At home, Steve was just finishing serving up veggie soup in bowls for each of the boys for lunch when Bucky rushes into the kitchen.

“Hey babe,” said Steve, surprised. Bucky rarely came home for lunch. It took almost 25 minutes to get from their home to Bucky’s work, a round trip of 50 minutes, leaving just 10 minutes to eat. The trip just wasn’t worth it when he could easily pack a lunch or grab something closer to his job. “Everything okay?”

“It’s lunch time,” said Bucky, sitting himself down at the table next to Tony. “Everyone needs to eat.”

Steve was confused until Bucky picked up Tony’s spoon and started coaxing Tony to eat small bites. Steve bit back a smile because Bucky, who had been adamant about not keeping Tony to begin with, had become fiercely protective of the kid. Bucky would sit patiently with Tony at breakfast and dinner, cajoling and wheedling until Tony managed to eat at least a little. Since starting his medicine Tony had been queasy and reluctant to eat but Bucky seemed to have made it his personal mission to get Tony to eat.

“You don’t need to do this,” said Steve softly when Phil, Clint, and Wade were all settled with their food. “He’ll be okay if you don’t spend your entire lunch break traveling here just for ten minutes to try and get him to eat.”

“Great job, kiddo,” praised Bucky, grinning at Tony as he eat his third full spoonful of soup. “Let’s have four more spoonfuls, okay? Think we can do it?”

Tony nodded with a small smile.

“Me too,” said Bucky in a stage whisper.

“Papa, can we go to the park after lunch?” asked Phil.

“No, Tony needs a nap after lunch,” said Clint.

“Can’t he take a nap in the stroller?” asked Phil. “Wade used to always sleep in the stroller when we went on walks.”

“We’ll see honey,” said Steve, checking his watch. “Bucky, you need to go soon.”

“I know,” said Bucky, spooning another mouthful to Tony before the kid turned his head away, making a soft whining noise. “Okay, kiddo, that’s it, we’re all done. Try to have a snack before I get home, okay?”

Tony nodded.

“That’s my good boy,” praised Bucky.

Bucky raced off with a quick kiss to each of his kids and husband. Steve got the other kids to finish their meals and then told them to find their shoes. Steve strapped Tony into the stroller, reclined and pulled the cover over so it was dark. Tony cuddled into his elephant and closed his eyes. It wasn’t difficult for him to fall asleep, he was always exhausted. Sleeping was one of those things that he accomplished but his medicine, on top of making him feel sick all the time, made him tired.

The walk to the park was uneventful and then Steve settled on a bench in the shade and watched his kids play with other children while absently pushing the stroller with Tony in it back and forth.

“Hey Steve,” said Betty, sitting next to him while her own daughter ran to play with the other kids. “Did you get a new one?”

She nodded at the stroller when Steve looked confused.

“Oh, yeah, this is Tony,” said Steve, continuing his motions with the stroller. “He’s sleeping right now.”

“How old is he?” asked Betty. She knew Steve and Bucky well enough and knew they took in foster children, though they hadn’t taken a new one since Clint.

“Four.”

“Four, that’s a good age. Have you enrolled him in pre-school?”

“No, I’m going to keep him home for awhile,” said Steve with a sigh. “To tell you the truth, I’m not even sure how long he’s going to be staying with us.”

“Ah, so his parents are trying to get him back?”

“Not exactly. It’s complicated.””

Betty shrugged, sensing it was something Steve didn’t want to talk about.

“Well, he’s lucky for however long you have him. You’ve done wonders with those other three boys of yours. I mean, Clint hit everyone when he first came, I hated Skye playing with him because he was so rough but now he’s just the sweetest little thing. And Phil used to be so serious and scary – he never smiled – but there he is, playing tag and laughing. And little Wade, well, I didn’t think he was going to make it. I read the papers after the fire, it sounded like he was never going to be strong enough to go to school but he’s here, jumping off the monkey bars like most of the kids. I know that has to do with the environment you and Bucky set up and the love you give them, so Tony is lucky to have you for as long as he is with you.”

Steve didn’t know how to respond, but luckily was saved from it by Tony waking up. The kid called out softly and Steve opened the cover to take a look at the child.

“Hey kiddo,” said Steve with a soft smile as Tony blinked blearily up at him. “Want to hang out here with me for a bit or go play?”

Tony seemed to think about it for a moment, nose crinkling adorably in concentration, before reaching his choice.

“Tired,” admitted Tony shyly. “Maybe we can cuddle a bit?”

“Sure thing, kid,” said Steve, his heart melting at this child. He lifted Tony out of the stroller and the boy instantly snuggled into his chest.

“Oh, he is just the cutest little thing,” cooed Betty. “Hello, sweetheart. I’m Ms. Betty. I’m a friend of Steve.”

“Hi,” said Tony, waving slightly. “I’m Tony. It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too. My, you are polite.”

Tony grinned before yawning widely. “I’m four.”

“That is a big age. Tell me, Mr. Four-Year-Old, are you enjoying living with Steve and Bucky?”

Tony nodded instantly. He wanted to tell the nice lady how Clint was a lot of fun to play with and Wade was fun to talk to and Phil read great stories. He wanted to say how Steve always took him to the Dr. Bruce to try to help him feel better and never gave him food that made him sick and how Bucky was never too busy to cuddle and super nice even if he looked kind of scary at first. But he didn’t have the words for it. Sometimes Tony could find the right words but sometimes his head felt too fuzzy to think of them.

But that was okay, because Steve seemed to pick up on that and just cuddled him closer, which made Tony feel super warm and a little less like that world was changing too much around him.

**Author's Note:**

> I think I need to stop attending 6 hour long meetings because I spend the entire time writing instead of listening.
> 
> Always,  
> Ari


End file.
